Washington: The warring camps of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton called a truce on Sunday as the Democratic White House contenders stared down the long road to hoped-for victory in November's presidential vote.

With Republican nominee-elect John McCain burnishing his national security credentials on a surprise trip to Iraq, Clinton and Obama supporters dialed down their heated rhetoric for fear of handing McCain electoral ammunition.

There was plenty of fodder for Clinton backers after video footage emerged of Obama's fiery Chicago pastor, arguing that the September 11 attacks of 2001 showed that "America's chickens are coming home to roost."

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the country's highest ranking elected Democrat, ruled out a "dream ticket" combining Obama and Clinton and said the party's nominee should be whoever leads in the final delegate count.

The rhetoric appeared to calm today as Democrats strove for unity ahead of their eventual battle against McCain.

Clinton backers such as New York Senator Charles Schumer refused to be drawn into an uproar surrounding the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who said in the newly disclosed video that the 9/11 attacks were brought on by American "terrorism."

Obama on Friday categorically rejected the "appalling remarks" by Wright, who officiated at the Democrat's wedding and baptized his two daughters, and said the black preacher had resigned from one of his campaign committees.
Source : PTI